Meddling Family
by New Decade
Summary: When someone comes for a visit, Eric never imagined that it would lead to him seeing Calleigh again. But the question is will seeing her fix things...or damage any chances of a fresh start?
1. Chapter 1

I have so much more free time now that it is summer, so I will be publishing and updating like a maniac…hopefully. This is going to be a multichap that will last three or four chapters (not including this brief intro). I have not abandoned "Holding On" or the "Slowly Realizing" epilogue, I just can't think of how to word them right now. I'll update when I can. Until then, I give you this.

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><p>The house and yard that belonged to Pavel and Carmen Delko was abounding with people, many neighbors from the Cuban community in which they lived and friends from where Pavel worked. As Eric walked through the house, he made small talk with the numerous guests, exchanging stories and words in Spanish with them. But when not conversing with the individuals he hadn't seen in a long time, Eric found himself distracted and not in the moment of celebration. His mind was constantly going back to Calleigh and how much he had missed her, how he longed for her to be by his side and the two comfortable within the other's company once again.<p>

When his parents had made these plans months ago, back when Eric and Calleigh's relationship was still unbroken, he had imagined the night very differently, more joyful at least. But now, however, the only reason a smile was on his face was for the sake of his mother and father, plus because a special visitor had arrived from out of town. Had he been at home and alone like any normal night, he would definitely not be smiling and would be reliving every memory he had that starred Calleigh, torturing himself.

This was the opportunity he had to rid himself of that pain for the night, to distract himself by talking and attempting to have fun. Alas, it was a battle fought in vain, for Calleigh still plagued him and the voices eventually blended in together, making any attempt of releasing Calleigh from his mind impossible.

He resorted to sitting in a chair in the foyer, the only empty room in the entire house, the perfect place to try and clear his mind one more time. He rested his head against the wall, studying the patterns on the ceiling and thinking about how he had been so close to getting over Calleigh, but that had changed yesterday and, suddenly, the pain of losing her was fresh as a newly opened wound.

"Eric," a female's voice sighed in frustration. His sister, Katrina, walked in from the front door, two bags of ice in each hand. "This is a party, you are supposed to be having fun."

"What are you talking about? I'm having a blast," he smirked; she rolled her eyes and shook her head, her curls of dark hair brushing over the tops of her shoulders. "Need a hand with those?" Eric asked, gesturing to the ice as he got to his feet.

"Please," she nodded gratefully, giving him two of the bags. "Whose brilliant idea was it to buy this much ice?"

"Blame that husband of yours," Eric said as they headed towards the kitchen just as someone knocked on the door.

"Can you take these?" Katrina asked as she gave the two remaining bags to her brother. "I'll get the door."

Eric began to head toward the kitchen as he heard the door be pulled open. Then he heard Katrina exclaim "Calleigh!" in a pleased, albeit surprised, tone. Eric prayed that there was another Calleigh that had relations to the Delko family as he ducked behind the wall separating the foyer from the kitchen, out of sight but still in hearing distance.

"Hey, Katrina," he heard the woman reply. There was no mistaking the lighthearted Southern voice; it was his Calleigh. "Sorry I'm late. Traffic."

"That's okay," Katrina said, Eric could hear the smile in her voice. There was the sound of heels hitting the wooden floorboards and the door clicking shut, Calleigh was inside the house. "Wow, I haven't seen you in ages. I actually had no idea you were coming, did Eric invite you?"

"Um, no, Gabriella did," Calleigh explained. Eric gritted his teeth in annoyance. He should he known Gabriella was behind this, he should have expected she would invite Calleigh behind his back.

He couldn't handle hearing the voice of the woman he loved but couldn't have and walked into the kitchen, pushing objects around in the freezer to make room for the ice.

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><p>I'm sorry this was short. I promise all questions will be answered and the next few chapters will be longer.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Before I start this chapter, I should give you a small bit of info. In our years of CSI: Miami, we have only met Eric's sister Marisol and have yet to have the other two emerge. I decided to play around with that. Instead of the usual they-live-in-Miami-we-just-never-see-them approach, I spiced it up a little. I got some inspiration from the fact I was an Air Force Brat for the first few years of my life and decided that it would be interesting to make one of his sisters a military wife and they have been stationed out of state.

It fit with this story (in which I own nothing) and so I ran with it.

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><p><em>Day before party…<em>

"Goodnight," Eric whispered to his nieces as he pulled the guestroom door closed, they had practically begged him to tuck them in, albeit it didn't take that much convincing; he loved those little girls too much. He smiled to himself as he headed back towards the living room to see his oldest sister, Gabriella, leaning back in his black recliner with a cup of Cafe Cubano in her hands. Her dark hair was pulled back into a sloppy bun and her hazel eyes, she was the only Delko sibling that received Pavel's eyes, were exhausted yet excited.

"It's good to see you guys again," he smiled as he took his seat on the couch.

"You too," Gabriella grinned. She hadn't seen her little brother in the longest time; responsibilities at home keeping her at Fort Knox Army Base while her husband was overseas. But she had vacation time granted by her job and waited until Abby and Tracy, her children, were out for summer to travel down to see her family in Miami just before her parents wedding anniversary. Eric had picked them up from the airport that afternoon and had willingly volunteered to stay on the couch for the next two weeks while his sister took his room.

"How are things?" Gabriella asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Good," he lied, convincingly. "Same-old, same-old."

"Awesome," she smiled, but there was something that hinted impatience in her voice, almost as though she wanted Eric to tell her something.

"I can't wait to see Mami and Papi's faces tomorrow when they see you," he chuckled, tomorrow Carmen and Pavel they were going to be celebrating forty-years of marriage and weren't aware that their daughter and grandchildren would be showing up as a surprise.

"I miss them too," she admitted, then sighed. "I miss everyone."

Eric smiled, sadly, at his sister's tone. He couldn't even begin to understand how she must have felt, being away from all her family, moving constantly and having the love of her life away from her the majority of the time.

"So when does my brother-in-law come back?" Eric asked.

"August fifteenth, for two weeks," she smiled, excitedly. Then her eyes lit up and a sly smile spread across her lips. "Speaking of in-laws, when do I get to meet my future sister-in-law?"

"Who?" he asked, confused.

"Come on. Every e-mail, phone call and Facebook chat I've had with you has been all about Calleigh."

"No, it hasn't," Eric insisted.

"Please," she rolled her eyes before making her voice drop a few octaves to mimic Eric's. "I really love Calleigh, Calleigh is so amazing. Calleigh this, Calleigh that, Calleigh, Calleigh, Calleigh."

"Okay, you've made your point," he surrendered.

"And when do I get to meet her?" Gabriella repeated, eagerly.

Eric exhaled, sadly, and gave her a meaningful look; her eyes widened with shock.

"_No_," she gasped, realizing the look he gave her wasn't one to celebrate. "No, you guys didn't break-up."

"We didn't," he assured her. "We are just _taking _a break."

"For how long?" Gabriella demanded.

"Until things…settle down a bit," Eric stated. "Things at the lab have been hectic with one of our co-workers getting killed, the prisoners escaping-."

"And Marisol's killer escaping," Gabriella sighed, sadly. The deep wound caused by her sister's death had never fully healed and even just saying her name could bring back the pain she had upon receiving the news. "Did that cause tension?"

"No," Eric shook his head. "I could have talked to her about that if it was the only issue. But it was a combination of the pressures at the lab and remember how I told you when I left CSI and got another job?"

"How can I forget?" Gabriella scoffed. "Mami was hysterical you almost got yourself killed. _Again_."

"And that resulted in me losing her trust and with everything else going on we thought it would be best to let things…" Eric trailed off.

"Return to normal a little?"

Eric nodded. "Yeah, basically."

Gabriella smiled, sadly, taking a sip of her coffee; it was apparent her brother had been heart broken by the fact Calleigh was no longer in the picture. When they conversed on the phone, he had always sounded love-struck and happy when Calleigh came into the conversation, now it seemed as though the main light in his life had been extinguished.

"Things will work out," she assured him. "She's the one for you."

"How would you know? You've never met her," Eric pointed out.

"Well Mom, Dad and Katrina all love her and say she's great and they are normally very picky about who you date," she began to trace the lip of her mug with her pinkie, "and I know you just don't buy an engagement ring for anybody."

Eric sighed in mild frustration; nothing in this family remained a secret, once one member of the clan knew something, everyone did.

"Who told you, Mom or Kat?" he asked.

"I don't incriminate my sources," Gabriella smirked; Eric rolled his eyes. "Obviously you love her and I'm sure she loves you still."

"Only time will tell," he sighed, but Gabriella noticed his voice was doubtful.

* * *

><p>Still heavily jet lagged from the flight, plus tossing and turning during the night due to the bombshell of her brother's unfortunate romantic situation, Gabriella was disgruntled when Eric gently shook her shoulder to wake her up.<p>

"I'm going to take Trace and Abby down to the beach, do you want to come?" Eric asked.

She groaned in tiredness as a reply, still exhausted; he just laughed.

"We'll be back in a few hours," he smiled. "Sleep in for once."

"God bless you," Gabriella sighed, her voice groggy as she closed her eyes again and slipped back into a dreamless sleep with ease. When her eyes fluttered back open, she noticed the sun had risen higher and she figured it was about time she got up.

She made the bed before pulling on her navy blue robe and wondering with her slipper covered feet into the kitchen. She found herself humming to herself as she pulled a glass from the cupboard and opened the refrigerator to grab the carton of orange juice. On the door of the fridge, held up by a magnet, was a picture. The only picture as a matter-of-fact and the rest of the items were sticky notes for occasions such as court dates and doctor's appointments. The photo was of Eric and Calleigh, who Gabriella recognized from other pictures her mother had sent in e-mails, at a dock with the ocean in the background. Eric had his arms wrapped around Calleigh's waist as he stood behind her. Calleigh's fingers threaded through Eric's as she leaned into him, her blonde hair traveling in the light breeze. Their smiles were identical, wide and just happy, as though holding each other was an answer to every prayer they had ever said. Gabriella had never seen her brother's eyes so bright or so full of joy. And in that precise moment, her own sisterly instincts overcame her and she vowed to herself not to let that brightness go out.

Glass of juice in hand, she ventured into the living room, where the phonebook sat and dared her to open. Gabriella flipped through the pages and scanned through the D's, searching for the name Duquesne. Her eyes ran down the alphabetical list of various names and numbers until resting on: Duquesne, Calleigh. Her house number and street listed below her name and her number horizontally across. Excitement rushed through Gabriella's system as she dialed the number into her cell phone and hit the call button, praying she would catch Calleigh before she left for work.

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><p>Calleigh rinsed her mouth of the remains of toothpaste before grabbing her purse and laptop carrier as she headed to face another dismal day. Every day for the past year had been completely miserable. The pain had become bearable, almost numbed, and it was easy to live with. She had forced all heartache to hide itself until it entirely vanished. Now, instead of each day being torturous, it was just gray. The days blended together into weeks, then into months and now she had endured almost a year without certainty. Calleigh and Eric were friendly to one another, even slightly flirtatious one a few occasions, but they had remained on this "break" level for so long and she felt as though they were going to be stuck there forever, waiting for something to nudge them in the right direction. Calleigh wasn't sure at this point how much longer she could wait for that moment.<p>

She had been about to walk out her door when her phone began to ring. Calleigh figured she could spare a few moments and grabbed the phone in mid-ring.

"Hello?"

"Calleigh Duquesne?" a female voice asked.

"This is she."

"Hi, Calleigh, I'm Gabriella Bailey," the woman introduced herself; Calleigh recognized the name immediately. "I'm-."

"Eric's sister," Calleigh finished the statement for her. During their relationship, Eric had talked constantly about the sister who was living far away from Miami and her family. She remembered the previous day and Eric mentioned that he would take the next day off of work because his sister and his two nieces were flying in from Kentucky for their mom and dad's wedding anniversary.

Gabriella, slightly relieved she wasn't going to have to make an awkward introduction, grinned at herself. "Yeah. Um, I know that this may sound a bit strange, but…but would you mind grabbing some lunch with me this afternoon?"

Calleigh found herself slightly taken aback by the sudden request. Not two minutes ago she had found herself missing Eric to the extent it was painful and now she found herself talking to his _sister_, much more she had been invited to lunch with her. Mixed emotions flooded Calleigh at the concept of lunch with Gabriella; though she was certain from the way her family talked about her she would be friendly company, Calleigh was certain the topic of conversation would be Gabriella's curiosity of Calleigh and Eric's relationship.

Gabriella waited anxiously for Calleigh's reply, fiddling with one of the strands of her dark hair and lightly biting her lip—a habit she had when her nerves rose.

"Um…sure," Calleigh finally answered; Gabriella was relieved to hear she didn't sound as apprehensive as she had expected. Surprised? Yes, but not overly hesitant as Gabriella expected her to be. "My lunch break is at twelve-thirty."

"Excellent," Gabriella smiled, excitedly. They arranged for a place to meet before saying bye and hanging up.

Gabriella had a while until she had to meet Calleigh and if she knew her family—all of which were water addicts—Eric and her daughter's wouldn't be back for a few hours. But just in case, Gabriella created an alibi for herself, she scribbled a note on a napkin saying she went to buy her mother and father's anniversary gift and would be back as soon as she can. This wasn't a total lie; she would go to a store and get a gift for her parents…then meet her brother's ex-girlfriend. She would tell Eric about this, but she would rather it be _after _she talked to Calleigh, especially when she knew Eric wasn't going to take kindly to this.


	3. Chapter 3

_Six hours until party…_

Gabriella stepped out of the cab, thanking the driver before shutting the door. She stood outside a restaurant named _The Lagoon_. Gabriella fondly remembered coming to this restaurant when she still lived in Miami, it was known for its garden salads and sandwiches at lunch and for the variety of meat served at night. Not a whole lot seemed to have changed since last time Gabriella was here; the building was still sandstone colored, had white curtains and the outdoor section was still enclosed with the black metal fence that had strings of ivory plants looped around each pole.

Gabriella's eyes skimmed the outdoor section of the restaurant, where they agreed to meet. Her eyes traveled across the various tables before resting on a woman with long blonde hair, wearing a black polo shirt and matching pants. She was sitting at a table covered by an umbrella like all the others, sipping from a glass of iced tea. The picture of Eric's refrigerator had been brought to life and was now waiting for her; _Calleigh _was waiting for her.

Butterflies of the anxious, nervous and excited breed filled Gabriella as she slowly approached Calleigh, preparing herself to meet the woman her baby brother seemed hopelessly devoted to. She wasn't quite certain how she wanted to go about this conversation. Each sentence she said had to be subtle, for if she expressed her opinion in an inappropriate manner, causing an even worse problem instead of a helpful solution, the results would be disastrous, especially if Eric found out.

Gabriella pushed open the gate and took a few steps towards the table Calleigh resided.

"Calleigh?"

Calleigh turned her head in the direction in which she heard her name. She saw a woman with long legs, dark hair and a few features (i.e. the cheekbones) that resembled Eric's.

Calleigh smiled and got to her feet. "You must be Gabriella."

"Yes," she nodded with a grin as they shook each other's hand. "Thanks for meeting me," Gabriella said, taking a seat across from her.

"No problem," Calleigh grinned. "It's nice to finally meet Eric's eldest sister."

"And it's nice to meet his girlf—."Gabriella stopped herself. "His colleague."

Calleigh noticed how Gabriella hesitated on how to address her, obviously uncertain of whether Calleigh was his girlfriend or just his coworker. Or, perhaps, Gabriella was aware of the situation between herself and Eric (she wasn't sure how much information about their relationship Eric had offered) and understood how complicated everything was; perhaps Gabriella, like Calleigh and Eric, just didn't know how to deal with it.

However, Calleigh didn't address the issue and merely smiled as a waiter with black hair, which was heavily moussed back, approached their table.

"What can I get you?" the waiter asked, flipping open his notepad.

"I'll have a chicken salad sandwich, please," Calleigh said.

"And you, ma'am?" the waiter now asked Gabriella.

"I'll just have a salad, please," she grinned; the waiter nodded and walked away.

"So are you in town long?" Calleigh asked, attempting to create small-talk.

Gabriella sadly shook her head. "Only a week; my kids and I are here for my parents' anniversary celebration."

"Well, welcome back to Miami for a week, then," Calleigh said with a kind smile. There was something intriguing about her personality, Gabriella was discovering. She just had an honest friendliness about her one seldom found. Perhaps Gabriella was biased, but she felt something genuinely kind about Calleigh and Gabriella was starting to understand this was probably one of the factors that attracted Eric to her.

"Thanks," Gabriella grinned.

"Eric must be happy to see you," Calleigh commented; the way she easily mentioned her brother's name slightly worried Gabriella. "He talks about you all the time."

"I can say the same about you," Gabriella said, one side of her mouth pulling up into a half smile; one that looked very familiar.

Calleigh felt her cheeks burn, a light scarlet filling beneath her skin, and dropped her eyes to her beverage, taking a sip through her straw.

"I just mean," Gabriella quickly recovered, noticing how the atmosphere had changed from friendly to slightly uncomfortable. "It's great to finally meet you because I've heard so much about you. Like, he told me you're obsessed with guns."

Calleigh chuckled. "That's… putting it mildly."

Gabriella laughed as the slick haired waiter returned with Calleigh's sandwich and Gabriella's salad. They said thanks to the man and a comfortable silence surrounded them. As Calleigh took a bite of her sandwich, Gabriella readied herself to make her move. She couldn't explain to herself where this determination to reunite her brother and this woman came from, but it surely existed and she could feel them edging closer to the conversation that was Eric.

"So, have you talked to Eric lately?" Gabriella asked, slowly easing into the conversation.

"Not as much as I used to," Calleigh admitted, the statement causing a slight saddening—almost remorseful—tone in her voice as a light breeze swept through, softly ruffling their hair and making the corners of their napkins slightly raise.

"Do you guys still work a lot of cases together?"

"Yeah," Calleigh nodded. "Most of them."

"But I suppose it becomes all business then, doesn't it?" Gabriella assumed, spearing some lettuce with her fork; Calleigh nodded in reply.

Questions swirled inside Gabriella's head, each wanting its time to speak, but each also very personal to ask in this circumstance. There had to be a way to ask Calleigh questions to her and Eric's relationship without making Calleigh feel she was being interrogated.

"Calleigh," she started, "I know that we only just met and I have no right asking this, but...how do—how do you—how do you feel about Eric?"

Slightly taken aback by the sadness of the question, Calleigh began to mechanically chew her food, not tasting it on her tongue. They sat in a less than comfortable silence, waiting for Calleigh to answer; she chose her words carefully, wanting to give Gabriella the truth, but not too many details.

"Your brother is great," Calleigh smiled. "He…is one of the best friends I've ever had."

"If you don't mind me saying, Calleigh, I think Eric feels more for you than friendship," Gabriella said, unthinkingly.

Calleigh wasn't sure if it was that this conversation was based on Eric and her feelings for him or if it was because she was having that conversation with Eric's own sister, but she suddenly felt uneasy.

"You think?" Calleigh asked, coyly.

Gabriella, who had lost all control of the words escaping her mouth by this point—fueled by desperate desire to heal the broken hearts—nodded confidentially before continuing. "I have known Eric all his life and I can honestly say he had never talked so…passionately about anyone as much as you. He is absolutely crazy about you."

Losing her appetite due to her stomach becoming full of knots, Calleigh took a sip of tea to quench her suddenly dry mouth.

"I know he still has feelings for you," Gabriella said, still unaware of how intense she was being. "And I know I'm being very forward asking this, but do you still have feelings for Eric?"

Calleigh hesitated. She wasn't used to this type of conversation where someone wanted her emotions put out in the open. She just wasn't used to being expected to express them so openly; especially in front of someone who was practically a stranger.

Calleigh took a deep breath and smiled. "I see being investigative is in the Delko genes."

Gabriella felt her face turn red as the fact dawned on her she was being severely overbearing with the questions.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to put you on the spot," she said, apologetically. "I'm known for being overly curious."

"We have that in common," Calleigh smiled, reassuringly.

"I don't mean to pry, it's just that... He's my brother and I worry about him, you know? I have seen him with so many women and he wasn't happy, but with you he was," Gabriella sighed. "And I love seeing him so happy."

Calleigh was certain because Gabriella was ultimately a Delko, Calleigh could easily become comfortable once the right words were exchanged. They were a family that was warm and welcoming, even if they didn't necessarily reside in Miami. She got along with Eric, Katrina, Pavel, Carmen and Gabriella clearly wasn't an exception.

"Eric's a great man and he's a sweetheart, but…my feelings and the situation right now is…complicated," Calleigh attempted to explain.

"Eric said something like that," Gabriella sighed, mostly to herself.

"It's just not the best time for a relationship right now," she said. "Especially an unpredictable one."

Calleigh's words were almost parallel to Eric's and Gabriella's mind quickly returned back to the engagement ring she knew Eric bought Calleigh and how the woman sitting across from her could have potentially been her sister-in-law. This woman was every bit as intelligent as she was kind, she had some light humor about her, and had a positive attitude. Gabriella could also safely assume she was strong and slightly stubborn; she fit Eric like a glove. It was slowly breaking Gabriella's heart that something that seemed so obvious, so perfect, could be nonexistent.

"Is there any chance of…reconciliation?" Gabriella asked, hopefully.

Calleigh considered this as she took another bite from her sandwich, chewing slowly and thoughtfully to buy her some time.

"We are still friends, we get along great at work…but other times, it's just…"

"Complicated?" Gabriella assumed; Calleigh nodded. "If he were to ask you…would you give him another chance?"

At that, Calleigh hesitated. "That…depends. You know, on the circumstance. Besides, I doubt he'd ask."

"Why's that?" Gabriella asked, curiously.

"You know Eric. There are times he's not very…"

"Direct," they said in unison, laughing lightly after the fact.

"I know what you mean," Gabriella nodded.

"Yeah," Calleigh sighed, remembering how long it took for Eric to come out and say how he actually felt instead of dropping hints and flirtations.

"But, hypothetically, if Eric were direct and came up to you and asked about giving your relationship another chance, you would say…?"

Calleigh gave that some thought for a moment before she said. "If the time is right, I'd probably say yes."

Gabriella wasn't sure if the enthusiasm appeared on her face, but she felt a mixture of joy and relief exploded within her as a glimmer of hope began to shine.

"Now," Calleigh started. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, go ahead," Gabriella permitted.

"How did Eric feel about you coming to have lunch with me?" she asked.

"Um…" Gabriella hesitated, repositioning herself nervously in her seat, not wanting to look Calleigh in the eye. "He…doesn't exactly know I'm here."

Gabriella glanced at her half-eaten salad, nervous to look up and see Calleigh's reaction.

"So he has absolutely no idea that _you_ are talking to _me _about _his and I's _relationship?" Calleigh clarified.

Gabriella guiltily bit her lip and shook her head, her thick dark hair swaying with the motion.

"Oh boy," Calleigh sighed; she could already see the unpleasant look Eric's face would have were he to know about this.

"If he knew I was here right now, he would be _really _pissed off. He doesn't exactly like his sisters knowing about his love life."

"But you are going to tell him about this, right?" she asked, knowing she wouldn't be able to look Eric in the eyes for weeks if he didn't know she had spent her break conversing with his sister about their relationship without his knowledge.

"Yes, I just couldn't tell him beforehand. He would have tried to stop me," Gabriella explained with a shrug. "But trust me, I do feel very, very, _very_ guilty….And now is probably a good time to change the subject," she added, awkwardly.

"I agree," Calleigh nodded, laughingly, as she thought quickly for a new topic of conversation. "So…your parents must be excited to see you."

"Oh, they don't know I'm here yet," she said before taking another bite of salad and swallowing before she continued. "We all thought it be a surprise for tonight if the kids and I just turned up casually."

"That's cool," she smiled, already seeing Carmen's loving eyes light up at the sight of her daughter and grandchildren, she could also imagine Pavel being at a loss for words on their arrival. "They'll be happy to see you."

Then a plan sneaked into Gabriella's mind, a diabolical act that she wouldn't even consider had this not been her brother and the person he adored, especially when she had good intentions in mind. Eric and Calleigh would both probably murder her (then clean up the crime scene they left behind) for doing this, but she had to seize this opportunity, so she said…

"You should come tonight."

Instantly, Calleigh was hesitant at the invite, she hadn't been to Carmen and Pavel's in months, it would feel odd for her just to show up suddenly after not seeing most of the family for so long. Then, of course, there was Eric and how uncomfortable it would be to have to stand in the same room somewhere that wasn't related to work.

"I don't know," Calleigh said, uncertainly.

"Why not?" Gabriella asked, even though she already knew at least one of the reasons.

"Well, I haven't seen your parents in a long time, they probably wouldn't want me to just show up," she explained as she stirred the remaining ice in her cup with her straw. "And then, you know, there's Eric and he wouldn't want me to come."

"They'd probably want you there," Gabriella insisted, and she wasn't lying. "My mom and dad love you like you're their daughter; they'd be _ecstatic _if you came. Besides, you wouldn't just be showing up, I'm inviting you."

Calleigh considered this, she had missed being with Carmen, Pavel, Katrina and her family. She fondly remembered the Sunday nights when she and Eric would go over for dinner and see just how pleased everyone was to be in each other's company. Everyone would talk, smile, laugh and it just made Calleigh happy to feel as though she were part of a family, a real family. She smiled when she remembered Eric's nieces and nephews had started to call her Tia Calleigh she had become so close to his family.

"And you'll tell Eric I'm coming, right?" Calleigh asked.

"Of course," Gabriella said. She felt a slight hint of guilt, knowing she had just lied to Calleigh, but Gabriella knew her brother and if he knew Calleigh was coming that night, he would attempt to avoid her the entire night. At least if Eric wasn't expecting her and was caught off guard, there could be a chance they could talk and work things out; that's what Gabriella was hoping for, anyway.

Gabriella waited anxiously for Calleigh's decision; she seemed more relaxed about the idea and appeared to be seriously considering it. Finally, she looked up at Gabriella and smiled.

"What time's the party?" she asked and Gabriella grinned, triumphantly.

* * *

><p>"Alright, that's it! Dishonor! Dishonor on your whole family! Make a note of this. Dishonor on you! Dishonor on your cow! Dishonor on-," was what greeted Gabriella when entered Eric's condo, shopping bag in hand. The TV was going in the living room and, unless she was mistaken (a very unlikely possibility, considering she had memorized practically every Disney movie known to man since her children were born), Mushu was "dishonoring" Mulan. Sure enough, when she rounded the corner Eric, Tracy and Abby were on the couch and the movie, one of the various DVDs he rented when he learned they were coming, was playing. But the girls were fast asleep, one curled up on each side of Eric, who had his arms wrapped around them. Seeing him taking such good care of her daughters made her feel slightly guilty for going behind his back and talking to Calleigh, plus inviting her to their parents anniversary party that night, even if her intentions were good.<p>

"Did you guys have fun?" she asked, coming to sit on the couch beside Tracy's feet, placing the bag that contained the anniversary gift on the floor.

"Yeah," he nodded. "But they finally ran out of energy."

"I hope they weren't too much trouble."

"They weren't any trouble," Eric reassured her, smiling down at each of his nieces. "So, what did you get Mom and Dad?"

"Something for the kitchen," she said, attempting to sound as casual as possible. "But I, um, I met a friend of yours before I went to the store."

Eric narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his sister; most friends he had were from CSI and they were all supposedly at work today. "Which friend?"

"Calleigh," Gabriella mumbled, guiltily, not looking at Eric.

"Who?" Eric asked in disbelief, hoping he had heard her wrong.

Gabriella looked him in the eye this time, seeing a sense of slight aggravation on his face, which only intensified when she repeated the name again. "Calleigh."

Eric clenched his jaw and the aggravation turned into a stronger blend anger, hurt and annoyance.

"Ella, you had better be joking," he warned, keeping his voice calm as to not awaken Tracy or Abby.

"I'm sorry, Eric," she sighed. "But she is _perfect _for you."

"And you just happened to run into her?" Eric asked, ignoring Gabriella's apology and statement.

Gabriella bit her lip and didn't answer the question, but Eric didn't need her to speak; her expression spoke for itself.

"You _called _her. You tracked down her phone number and _called her_."

"Okay, I did," she admitted. "I just wanted to meet her and see why you were so nuts about her. And I see it, Eric. I see why she makes you happy, I see why you bought her that ring, I see-."

"You didn't tell her about that did you?" Eric demanded.

"No, I didn't, I swear," Gabriella admitted.

"Then what did you tell her?"

"Um…that you still have feelings for her and you want to work things out," she said, gently. Gabriella had been dreading this part of her day since she made the decision to have lunch with Calleigh, the part in which she talked to Eric about the meeting and his reactions.

Annoyed at his sister and slightly embarrassed that Gabriella told Calleigh this, Eric leaned his head against the back of the couch, looking at the ceiling and hoping he was going to wake up from a bad dream.

"Don't be mad at me," she sighed, but he lifted his head from the couch and gave her a look made of ice. "Okay, okay, be mad, but just hear me out."

"No, thank you."

"Do you even want to know what she said?" Gabriella asked.

"I'd rather hear it from her, thanks," he said, bitterly.

"But you don't _talk _to her, Eric," she groaned. "She's smart, she's witty; you like smart and witty. She loves you; you love her. The signs are all there, so why are you fighting it?"

Eric didn't reply, he was pretending to be engrossed in the movie, but that didn't stop Gabriella; she was nothing if not determined. "You guys both have feelings for each other, but you are both too stubborn to take a step."

"What do you want me to do?" he demanded, remembering to keep his voice at an appropriate level for his nieces. "Go to her house and beg for mercy?"

Gabriella rolled her eyes, this reminded her of when they were in their teenage years and whenever herself, Katrina and Marisol would attempt to help him with a problem he was having, but he always insisted he had it under control and always had a sarcastic remark whenever they offered advice; he was just "so independent" as their mother put it.

"I just want you to promise that next time you see her that you'll make the effort to at least talk to her and maybe work things out," Gabriella said, smiling a hopeful smile up at Eric.

Eric looked down at her, she was batting her eyelashes and smiling to the extent it looked like it was painful; she was desperate. He reminded himself that Gabriella had his best interest at heart and, seeing as she was the most devious out of the four siblings, she was normally the one who did just about anything—no matter how ridiculous—to achieve what she felt was best.

"Only if you stay out of anything going on between Calleigh and me from now on," Eric said with a lopsided grin. Gabriella was somehow able to keep a perfect poker face when he said this and it hurt her that she was going to have to omit the information that Calleigh was due to come to the party that night, but she felt she didn't have a choice and forced herself to promise she would never interfere again.

_Starting tomorrow, _she added in her mind.


	4. Chapter 4

_Present…_

Eric had believed her, he had believed his sister wouldn't get herself involved further in his love life, yet she neglected to tell him the single most important piece of information; Calleigh was here. He was successfully able to shove the ice into the freezer with aggressive force before he heard the voice of the single person he couldn't stand at that moment.

"It's a madhouse," Gabriella declared. "I don't think I've seen the place so packed since New Years of ninety-six."

Eric closed the door of the freezer and turned to face her. The expression on his face must have been an unpleasant one, for Gabriella's smile slowly faded.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

Eric narrowed his eyes and gestured for her to follow him into the living room and Gabriella understood.

Calleigh was talking to Carmen and Pavel, both of which were smiling in delight and surprise. Had Eric's shock and anger been less potent, he would have noticed how gorgeous she looked, even in a simple ensemble of black dress pants and a red blouse. But he was still in severe disbelief that Gabriella had had a conversation with Calleigh earlier that day, so he couldn't even _begin _to comprehend Calleigh being here at this get-together. What was he supposed to do in this situation? He wasn't sure, but talking to Calleigh was now going to be inevitable.

Katrina's youngest daughter, Sophie, ran up excitedly to hug Calleigh's legs. Calleigh smiled down at the four-year-old before picking her up in her arms.

"You invited her here," Eric accused his sister. "And you didn't tell me."

"I wanted to," she shrugged, apologetically. "But I was afraid you'd stop her from coming or you wouldn't come."

"But now I don't know what to say to her," he pointed out, tone harsher than intended.

"Just tell her you love her," Gabriella suggested, giving him a shove to move forward. "You'll thank me later."

Eric shot her an angry glare before he continued across the room, the atmosphere already thickening with an awkward tension and they had yet to exchange a single word.

His legs became heavy as steel while his anger faded and a whole new set of nerves replaced it. As he slowly approached Calleigh and Sophie—his parents now conversing with one of their neighbor's—he caught some of what his niece was saying.

"How come you don't come over with Tio Eric anymore?" Sophie asked with a pout; Calleigh had always been a favorite of hers and Sophie missed her coming over at least once a week. "Did you have a fight?"

Calleigh looked at Eric as he approached and gave him a weak smile before turning back to Sophie. "No, I've just been really busy at work lately," Calleigh lied as to not upset the little girl. "But I promise I'll come see you more often."

"With Tio Eric?" she asked, hopefully.

"I'll come see you," Calleigh grinned, avoiding the question.

"Good, 'cause I missed you," she said before wrapping her tiny arms around Calleigh's neck.

Calleigh smiled as Sophie hugged her, remembering how much she loved being here with Eric and his family. She remembered how accepting they were of her in a way her own family wasn't, how everyone here always seemed to love and care for one another and as she stood there holding Sophie, the familiar ache of how much Calleigh missed them returned.

"I missed you, too," she whispered, her hand gently running up and down Sophie's back.

Eventually, Sophie released Calleigh from her hug and looked in the direction of her uncle.

"Tio Eric!" she called, excitedly. "Look who's here!"

Calleigh turned her head in the direction Sophie was calling and their eyes locked. His heart stopped dead in its tracks when she grinned at him and raised a hand to give him a light wave. Seeing her here, even under such circumstances, couldn't stop a smile from forming on his face or the butterflies forming.

"Hey, Cal," he grinned.

"Hi," she replied.

"Having a good time?" he asked, trying to keep things friendly.

"The first five minutes have been good," Calleigh joked. "You?"

"Good," Eric said with a half-smile.

"Can you come meet Abby and Tracy?" Sophie excitedly asked Calleigh. "Please?"

Calleigh looked back at Eric, hoping she would be able to see him again that night, but she had the feeling Sophie wouldn't let her out of her sight if she could help it.

"I'll see you later," Eric promised with a half-smile.

"Okay," she nodded before turning to a simply thrilled Sophie. "Where are they?"

All smiles, Sophie allowed Calleigh to put her down before grabbing her hand and leading her deeper into the living room and away from Eric, who sighed as they walked away. What had stopped him from a conversation passed the average small-talk with Calleigh? Wasn't this the opportunity he had been waiting for? The time he could attempt to make amends and try to tell her how he felt, but there was an invisible wall stopping him. Eric now found himself functioning on autopilot, unaware of any movements he was making as his feet carried him back into the kitchen, hoping to find some time alone to organize his heavily scrambled mind.

He placed his hands on the granite counter top, letting his head fall as he exhaled heavily. How had this simple night of bliss turn into such a mess? But Eric knew the answer behind that one: his beloved older sister.

"What are you doing back here all alone?" he heard a voice—a heavily accented voice—ask him. He turned around to see his mother, her cheeks red from excitement and smile stretching across her lips.

"I was just…" He racked his brain for an excuse, his eyes landing on an unopened pack of plastic scarlet cups and grabbed them. "Came to get these. Having a good time?"

"_Sí_," Carmen replied, excitement clearly ringing through her voice. But as she took a step towards her son, she narrowed her eyes and looked up at him suspiciously; he began to feel slightly uneasy.

"Eric, why didn't you say anything?" she sighed.

"About…?"

The stern look remained for a few more moments before her face relaxed and lips spread into a full smile; Eric felt now he could exhale.

"About Calleigh. Why didn't you tell me got back together?" Carmen asked. The twinkle in his mother's eye was so bright and happy, Eric couldn't find it within him to extinguish it by telling her the truth; especially not today.

"We only just started seeing each other," he lied. "So…"

"Well," Carmen smiled, laying a hand on the side of his face. "I'm glad she came."

She stretched up to kiss his cheek before turning on her heel to leave; Eric sighed sadly when she left. He wished so much that Calleigh was here because he invited her, that what he just told his mother was the truth and that they were back together. Alas, he wasn't that lucky.

Feeling sorry for himself, he headed into the dining room where various finger foods and drinks sat for the guests. He placed the red cups on the corner while, in the room over, he could hear Calleigh's enchanting voice as she talked and laughed with his family and it was slowly driving him mad; to be very close to her, but simultaneously so far away. Making sure no one else was coming over to talk to him, Eric slipped out the screen door and into his parents' backyard, where Calleigh's voice grew mute.

* * *

><p>The plan was set in motion…or that's what Gabriella had thought. After she pushed Eric in Calleigh's direction, she slipped into the shadows and hadn't seen them since. That was until Calleigh came into the living room, her daughters, nieces and nephews filling her attention until Katrina and Pavel came to stand beside her, giving her some more adult company. The entire Delko clan had seemed overwhelmed with joy when they saw Calleigh, except for one that seemed to be missing action; a detail that heavily deterred from her plan.<p>

She quickly scanned the living room one more time to be sure she hadn't accidentally over looked where he may have been before giving up and backing into the dining room. Gabriella smiled at a few guests as she passed them, searching desperately for Eric.

"You know, I'm surprised your brother and Calleigh haven't been joined at the hip all evening," Andy—Katrina's husband—commented to Gabriella as he got a cup of punch. "That's how they usually are."

"Have you seen him anywhere?" she asked, hoping she wasn't sounding too desperate.

"Yeah, he's out back. He's acting really weird."

"Weird how?" Gabriella questioned, worriedly.

"Well, I tried talking to him about the baseball game on ESPN the other night and he just seemed…." Andy attempted to find the right word. "Distracted."

"Well, he's not having the best day. You'll have your sports buddy back in no time," she reassured.

"Thank God," he sighed in relief, taking a swig of punch .

"I'll just go check on him," Gabriella said, walking passed Andy and to the screen door. She stepped outside and saw Eric in the backyard, separated from the few neighbors conversing amongst each other. He was looking blindly in front of him, unaware of the world.

She stepped towards him until she was standing at his side. He hardly seemed aware of her presence and he didn't so much as blink in her direction until she began to speak.

"You know in _The Lord of the Rings_, Frodo took the Ring even though he knew the dangers that faced him," Gabriella sighed, attempting to use a random tactic to break the ice.

He looked down at her in surprise and in confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I'm telling you to take a chance and just get in there and talk. Besides, I seem to recall you promising to make an effort to talk to Calleigh the next time you saw her," she reminded him.

Eric looked at her in utter disbelief. "When you invited her here without telling me, _after _meeting her behind my back, that promise became null and void."

"A promise is a promise," she reminded him.

"Sis, I'll give you this, you've got some nerve," he said, plastering an artificial smile on his face.

Gabriella sighed in mild frustration, her brother's stubbornness and the aggravation he had towards her was preventing him from seeing the entire picture; that Calleigh was here and he had the chance to talk to her.

"Listen, I know you're mad at me, Eric, and I deserve it," she admitted.

"This was none of your business," he said, coldly, looking down at her with his eyes ablaze with anger and hurt; Gabriella wasn't sure which emotion she hated to see on him more.

"I know. And I know it was wrong-."

Eric scoffed. "So why did you do it?"

"Because you're my brother, I love you and I want you to be happy. And I know _Calleigh _makes you happy," Gabriella said.

"I told you that things aren't that simple right now, Ella," he snapped, angrily; why was this so difficult for her to accept? Why couldn't she let it be?

"So because things are just a little bit complicated, you are just going to let her walk away?" Gabriella demanded, a trace of mild disgust in her tone, all the teasing that had been in her tone for the last few days now vanished. "You are _always _so negative."

Eric didn't respond and instead just looked back in front of him, at the perfectly even grass and well-kept flower beds, the porch lamps as well as the lights handing on the fence illuminated the entire back yard. While Gabriella took a deep breath to calm her temper—their tempers were trait herself and Eric shared—before daring to say anything. She empathized with Eric, she understood where he was coming from, but he was making a mistake standing out here instead of attempting to reconcile with Calleigh.

"Eric, listen," Gabriella sighed, her voice softer and kinder. "The person I'm in love with is halfway around the world. I don't get to see him for months and when he does come home it isn't for very long. I would give _anything _for him to be here tonight so I could be with my whole family-." A ball of emotion caught up in Gabriella's throat and tears sprang to her eyes. She took a deep breath through her nose and looked to the sky, blinking her eyes until she was certain the tears wouldn't escape and only then did she turn back to her brother. "I don't think you get how lucky you are. I don't get to see Jason every day or work with him. You do. You get to work with Calleigh and talk to Calleigh all the time and she is here tonight. And what are you doing? You are avoiding her. This is a big opportunity and you are blowing it."

Without another word, Gabriella turned on her heel and headed back inside of the Delko house. Eric heavily exhaled, suddenly feeling a sinking sensation of guilt at his sister's words. As much as it pained Eric to admit it, Gabriella was right. This was a golden opportunity that for him, he seldom had chances to talk to Calleigh outside of work and this would probably be one of the few times he could talk to her alone without work beckoning for their conversation to end.

Eric wanted Calleigh back in his life and certain aspects of their lives and their relationship may have been extremely complicated. But one thing wasn't, in fact it was fairly simple; he loved Calleigh and, tonight, he hoped that would be enough.

Eric was about to turn around and head inside, only the door slid open once again and, this time, Calleigh stepped out, giving him a warm smile as she came towards him.

"Hey," Eric said as she approached Calleigh.

"Hi," she replied. "Andy told me you were out here."

"He was right," he grinned with a small shrug of the shoulder.

A silence settled in and the atmosphere went from slightly uncomfortable to just downright awkward. Calleigh suddenly became intrigued with smoothing the nonexistent wrinkles on her blouse as Eric rotated his watch on his wrist as he struggled to make some words elude his lips that could potentially start a conversation.

"You know," he finally said. "Everyone is really glad you came. I mean, every time I come over Sophie is always asking about you. And my parents and sisters, well, they love you," he smiled.

"Speaking of your sisters, Gabriella didn't tell you she invited me, did she?" Calleigh assumed, she had figured that much out by that point.

"Well, um… not exactly." He could see Calleigh's cheeks blush a light pink. "But that's okay. I'm glad she did," he said quickly, surprising himself that he wasn't lying. Now that they were alone and the initial shock had worn off, he was happy to be with her. "And she told me about lunch, I know she can be a bit overbearing."

"No, I like her," Calleigh grinned. "Besides, she was just looking out for her baby brother."

"And you call me overprotective," he sighed, playfully.

"Must be a family trait," she playfully smirked; Eric chuckled lightly.

"So, how've you been?" Eric asked. "You know we haven't really talked lately."

"I've been good, I guess. You?"

"Alright, I suppose." Eric quickly continued the conversation to a subject he was hesitant to approach, but it would be better than enduring another silence. "So, um, what did Gabriella exactly tell you?" he asked, nervously.

Laughing a little to herself, Calleigh gave him a slightly embarrassed smile and Eric closed his eyes at the absolute monstrosity as to what her answer would be.

"What did she say?" he asked again, a little anxious by this point.

"Nothing bad," she assured him. "Just that… you still have a few, um…feelings for…" Calleigh trailed off and was suddenly unable to look at Eric's face; she didn't want to see his reaction.

Eric felt as though the wind had just been knocked out of him and that this was to be a very intense conversation he was just thrust into and he hadn't a clue what to say. He wanted to tell her the truth, that he _was _still completely in love with her and he missed being with her. He wanted to tell her he missed lying beside her in bed and kissing her whenever the opportunity was available; he wanted to tell her he still dug out the ring he bought for her and looked at it in the middle of the night wondering what if. But what Eric wanted to tell her and what he could tell her were polar opposites. If Calleigh wasn't ready to trust him again and he laid all those feelings out for her to see, his heart (currently being held together by a few pieces of tape) would surely tear itself into multiple pieces.

"Was she telling the truth?" Calleigh asked and, unless it was a trick of the light or his imagination, Eric thought he saw a hint of hopefulness in her emerald eyes.

_She's the one for you….She is _perfect_ for you…. You just don't buy an engagement ring for anybody….Just tell her that you love her._

Gabriella's voice absolutely swarmed his head and as he looked at Calleigh, he thought about what she had said about this being one of his chances to attempt to heal any of the bleeding wounds their relationship possessed.

"Every word," Eric admitted, surprising himself with the confidence he suddenly had in his voice and how a smile formed on his face as he spoke.

To his immense relief, Calleigh's smile mirrored his own and she stepped towards him, laying her hand on his arm. Her palm was warm against his skin and the unmistakable joy only Calleigh Duquesne could give him flooded through his veins.

"Well," she grinned, her thumb drawing circles on the back of his arm. "The feeling's mutual."

Eric's heart did a leap at her words and he was about to reply, about to make a comment that would have been considered completely cheesy, but Calleigh stopped him; well, Calleigh's lips stopped him. She had stretched up to press her lips to his and everything he had been missing came back to him in one amazing bombardment. Calleigh's lips were sweet against his and just as soft as his memory served. Eric's lips began to caress hers as he looped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his torso.

* * *

><p>As the night drew to an end, Katrina and Gabriella were in the living room, picking up stray paper plates and napkins around the house as their parents stood outside, bidding goodbye to their remaining guests.<p>

Katrina glanced over at her sister, who had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout most of the night. She only spoke when someone talked to her, but otherwise she would just wonder around, not attempting to create conversation with anyone around her.

"Are you okay?" Katrina asked Gabriella who looked glum as she threw a plastic cup into the trash bag she was carrying.

"Yeah," Gabriella sighed. "Do you think what I did was wrong?"

"You mean meeting Calleigh without Eric knowing and then inviting her over as a surprise setup?" Katrina asked with a smile. "I'll have to think about that."

"Thanks," she said, sarcastically.

"I'm kidding," Katrina assured her. "You had good intentions….You just went about it the wrong way."

"I know, I wasn't thinking," she groaned, tossing a paper plate in the bag with vengeance.

"You maybe could've given Eric at least a ten minute warning," Katrina said. "You know to prepare himself."

"Now you make that suggestion," Gabriella sighed as she plopped down on the couch; Katrina gave her sibling a sympathetic smile joined her on the couch. "You know, when Mari died and after he got shot, I never thought he'd be truly happy again," Gabriella admitted as she rested her head against her hand. "But when he fell for Calleigh, it was like we had the old Eric back, you know?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I noticed that."

"I just didn't want to chance him losing that happiness. God, what if I made things worse?" Gabriella groaned, leaning her head against the back of the couch.

"They've been through worse," Katrina promised her. "It'll take more than a big sister to screw up their relationship."

"Thanks for trying, Kat," she said with a distressed exhale.

Katrina gave her older sister a sad smile as an unpleasant sound arose in the background, gradually growing louder.

"What's that?" Katrina asked as the sound became gradually louder; closer. Her question was shortly answered when Sophie, Abby and Tracy came running in then, squealing in horror. Alarmed, the two mothers jumped up and the three children ran towards them, each gripping a leg of their mother.

"What's wrong?" Gabriella asked, worriedly.

"They're _kissing!_" Abby cried. "They're kissing in the kitchen!"

"Calm down, calm down," Gabriella said, soothingly. "Who's kissing?"

"Tio Eric and Tia Calleigh!" Sophie interjected.

"It's gross," Tracy groaned.

A mixture of relief and gleefulness spread through Gabriella and she exchanged a smile with her sister.

"Well," Katrina grinned, ruffling Sophie's hair. "People do that when they like each other as much as they do."

"But it's really, really, _really_ disgusting," Sophie mumbled; the adults laughed at her comment as the footsteps of two more people joined them in the living room. Gabriella turned around to see Eric and Calleigh coming towards the small group consisting of mothers and daughters, giving them a warm and apologetic smile. She felt both of the girls lean around her legs to see the two approaching.

"Are you done kissing now?" Tracy asked, hopefully.

"Tracy," Gabriella whispered, disapprovingly, as Eric and Calleigh shared a slightly embarrassed look and a light laugh.

"Don't worry, Trace," Eric said, wrapping an arm around Calleigh's waist. "We're done."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm about to head home anyway," Calleigh said; Eric's smile fell a little as she said this. Sophie released her mother's leg and now ran to throw her arms around Calleigh's.

"Do you have to go?" she asked, her face slipping into a pout.

"Sorry, sweetie, I have work tomorrow," Calleigh sighed, giving the little girl a hug. "But I'll come back very soon, okay?"

"Okay," Sophie nodded.

"Will you tell your brothers I said bye for me?"

"Sure," Sophie promised, finally letting Calleigh go and giving everyone else a chance to hug her goodbye.

"We'll see you again before we leave," Gabriella grinned when it was her turn to give Calleigh a hug. "I promise no more interrogating lunches."

Calleigh laughed as they leaned out of the hug. "Deal….Well, I'd best be going."

"I'll walk you out," Eric volunteered, wanting a few more minutes alone with her before they said goodbye. His arm was once again wrapped securely around her waist and her own looped around his middle, standing in the closest proximity possible as they left the house.

Calleigh paused to say goodbye to Pavel and Carmen before she and Eric walked towards her car, where Eric, opened her door for her. Smiling gratefully, Calleigh slid into her car and rolled her window down once the door closed.

"I'll see you soon," Calleigh grinned, snapping in her seatbelt.

"You can count on it," he replied with a smile leaning in to kiss her, both of them putting forth the effort to make it linger as long as possible. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Great," she beamed. "You know, I'm really glad I came."

Eric reached into the car to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. "Me too."

Calleigh reached up to take his hand, intertwining her fingers through his and her lips kissing the back of his hand as his thumb ran over the porcelain skin of her cheek.

"Goodnight," she whispered, regrettably releasing his hand from her grasp.

"Goodnight," he echoed, stepping back form the car to let her pull away from the curb. She put the car in reverse and slowly pulled away until she was on the road. She waved at Eric and he waved back as she began to drive away from the Delko house.

Eric watched her taillights disappear into the night before he finally turned around and headed back into the house where, not surprisingly, Gabriella stood in the foyer waiting for him.

"So, I'm guessing everything is okay?" she assumed, nervously wringing her hands.

Eric chuckled and shook his head. "Haven't you meddled enough, Ella?" he asked, teasingly.

"I think I deserve to know if all my trouble was worth it," she retorted with a playful shrug. "So?"

Eric rolled his eyes before answering. "We had a talk and we're going to start with a clean slate, but we are going to take it slow."

"Perfect," Gabriella smiled in very enthusiastic approval.

"But promise me you will never do that to me again."

"Only if you and Calleigh don't give me a reason to," she promised.

Eric shook his head in disbelief. "Fair enough."

Gabriella smiled in satisfaction and knew that in a few weeks, months or years from now, Eric would thank her for all she did; until then, she will just have to wait. Wait for their relationship to grow stronger; wait for another bump in the road. Wait for his proposal to Calleigh that would one day come.

"_At the end of the day, if we don't hang together, we'll die alone."_

_-David Caruso (Horatio Caine)_


End file.
